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The theme of the 5th Annual African Studies Workshop is "Migration and Memory."

1:30 pm - Lecture: “Political Asylum Cases: A Retrospective on Really Saving Lives," with Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban and Richard Lobban. Their talk will illustrate both the challenges and strains brought on by migration among asylum seekers.

2:30 pm - Performance by the Senegalese Sabar group led by Lamine Toure.

Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban, PhD, is a Professor of Anthropology and African Studies at Rhode Island College. She received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Temple University and her PhD in Anthropology and African Studies from Northwestern University in 1973. At Rhode Island College she has received both the Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1990 and the Award for Distinguished Scholar in 1998. Her most recent research was conducted in Sudan from 2007-2009 and was funded by the US Institute of Peace.

Dr. Richard A. Lobban, Jr. is a life-time “Africanist” and is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and former Chair at Rhode Island College. He started university study of Africa in 1961 and received his MA Degree from Temple University in 1968 and his PhD from Northwestern University. He was also former Director of African and Afro-American Studies there for thirteen years and faculty member for 36 years. He was also Vice-President of the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society for 20 years. During the war of national liberation in Guinea-Bissau he walked across Guinea-Bissau with members of the Forças Armadas Revolutionária do Povo of the Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC) from southern Senegal to Guinée-Conakry. He was the first journalist to cross the entire country under war and reported first-hand on the fall of the fort of Guiledge, which was the last decisive battle of the eleven year war. He also did front-line war reporting in southern Sudan and Eritrea.

Amadou Lamine Touré comes from a long line of griots, a caste of musicians and oral historians among the Wolof people of Senegal. Born into a family of griot percussionists, masters of the sabar drum, Lamine has been drumming since the age of four. Growing up in Kaolack, he received his early training as part of his family's drum troupe, performing regularly at weddings, baptisms, and neighborhood dance parties.

In 1986, Lamine moved to Dakar, where there would be more opportunities to exploit his talents in the burgeoning popular music style known as mbalax.

For more information on the event, the speakers, and the performers, go to the African Studies Website: http://web.bryant.edu/~asw/.

The event is sponsored by Bryant University, the African Alliance of Rhode Island and Providence Public Library.